Edited video clip. Exhibited Spacex, Exeter and Towner Gallery, Eastbourne 2003
Commissioned by Radiator, Nottingham 2002
This group of works follows on from a number of others: Avid Metamorphosis I and II, Shrinking the Miniature and Hidden Seas /Surface Waters, all of which touch upon the possibility of re-negotiating the limits of the body/self. Initially as way to deflect constructions of the female body as 'other' leading on to an exploration of the possibilities of ‘becoming’.
While Tails differs from those works featuring coastal environments, which precede and follow it, it demonstrates a similar concern with the question of boundaries.
In this instance I conceived of the idea of making myself into a swarm, a proposition that was realised through the use of a flying harness, along with blue screen video and compositing techniques - combining real time, embodied actions with virtual and digital representations.
A mixture that seems to support the paradox of simultaneously desiring to eradicate the limits of the social, physical, self and the anxieties to which such a loss of identity might give rise.
The above link * coonects to a related animation which allows the user to interact with the swarm by moving the central 'cursor', via their mouse (or equivalent), at different speeds. If the 'courtship' between user and swarm suceeds it triggers a shared sequence in which they dance together.
